Volume 19 Issue 3 - Long Island Herpetological Society

Transcription

Support the LIHS
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HERPETOFAUNA
Journal
of the
Long Island Herpetological Society
June 2009
Volume 19, Issue 3
NEXT LIHS MEETING DATE – JUNE 14th, 2009
1st LIHS Auction
See Page 2 for additional information
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
PRESENTS
FROGS: A CHORUS OF COLORS
See Page 17 for additional information
CSHFHA LI Herp Day – June 7th
Thank You
On June 7th, several LIHS members spent a truly nice day educating the public, and
spending time with other LIHS Members and their herps at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium LI Herp Day. I just wanted to take the time to THANK the following people
( and their herps ). So, Thank You to the following people for helping out at the CSHFHA
LI Herp Day on June 7th:
Wayne King, Jeanette Richetti, Debbie Hoppe, Clara, Will and Noelle Dunlop ( Happy
Birthday Jamie ), Harry Faustmann, John Heiser, Vin Russo and Family, and Anna Ott.
Pictures and more to follow in the next Herpetofauna Journal.
th
~ June 14 , 2009 ~
ALL are WELCOME and Encouraged to ATTEND
Bring your NEW and GENTLY USED items
( Herp and/or Non-Herp Related )
to the
1st Annual LIHS Auction
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 PM
Location: Farmingdale State University - Conference Center
You can do either a
STRAIGHT UP ITEM DONATION
( ALL proceeds benefit the society )
or a 50/50
( Proceeds are split between equally between the seller and society )
Make yourself a few $$$$ and benefit the LIHS
A “WIN, WIN, SITUATION for ALL”
LIHS Executive Board 2008 / 2009
President:
Vice-President:
2nd Vice-President:
Secretary:
Sergeant-at-Arms:
Treasurer:
Programs Coordinator:
Herpetofauna Editor:
LIHS Herpetofauna Journal
Vin Russo
John Heiser
Kirk Peters
Ed Bennett
Mike Russo
Rich Hume
Rich Meyer, Jr.
Rich Meyer, Jr.
Contact the LIHS
Web:
www.LIHS.org
E-mail:
info@LIHS.org
Tel:
( 631 ) 884-5447
Mail:
476 North Ontario Avenue
Lindenhurst, New York 11757-3909
~ June 2009 ~ Volume 19, Issue 3 ~
www.LIHS.org
Page 2
LIHS Presidents Message
First things First. I just wanted to say that it’s great to have our Newsletter up & running
again – and I wanted to thank Rich Meyer Jr. for investing the time & effort to bringing it back &
making it available online.
As you all may have noticed – we have had a lot on our political agenda lately with
HR669 ( a proposed bill to stop the sale of all non native pets in the U.S. ) trying to be passed
thru the House of Representatives along with a similar Bill in Florida involving pythons. This Bill
& I’m sure many others will follow are all results of the media attention placed on Non Native
Burmese Pythons in the Everglades. The LIHS board met a few times to come up with a strategy on how to combat this & luckily other societies & reptile organizations joined together to do
the same. There was a congressional hearing in April of which our industry (the Pet Industry )
was represented by Marshall Meyers of PIJAC ( Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council ). Marshall
& other Biologists that spoke at the hearing emphasized the fact that while the underlying intentions of HR669 are good ( we all agree that some non native animals are or can be injurious
to our native Fauna & Flora ) – yet the way the Bill is setup now it will simply not work ( banning all pets is almost impossible ). Suggestions of a Black list were brought up. This list would
be created by the US Fish & Wildlife and contain non native invasive species that cannot be
possessed, bought or sold in the U.S.. Although a good idea the list could take many years to
complete as a scientific survey & study would have to be completed on each species to prove
it is invasive. Lastly, a Biologist at the hearing mentioned that the Bill skips over one of our nation’s biggest problems & they are Non Native Plants & Bugs. And another brought up the non
native Zebra Mussels in the great Lakes (all huge problems compared to pets that may be released). The Committee members mentioned a few times at the hearing that the response they
received from us (The Pet Industry) was almost over whelming and in fact after the Hearing a
few pet organizations posted a victory speech on their websites & Forums because of this.
However, HR669 is still alive & in committee for revision. I am in constant contact with the
board members of PIJAC ( I am also on their ―Constrictor Technical Advisory Committee‖ ) and
will keep you all posted to our progress. Hopefully through the communication of PIJAC with
the Committee members in Congress – we will work this out to fit all Pet owner wants & needs
in the future while protecting & preserving our native wildlife.
On another note & back to LIHS business – we are having our first ever LIHS Auction
on June 14th. I encourage all members to come & bring something they want to get rid of or
sell that is reptile related. We will have two systems in place. One will be full donation in which
all proceeds from your auctioned items to go to the LIHS. The second is 50/50 of which the
Society splits the proceeds half & half with the Donor. Auctions are a great place to get some
great deals & also to get rid of some things you simply no longer need. We also will be getting
a few new items to auction off from Zoo Med & Hagen. So please come and I hope to see you
all there.
Vin Russo
President LIHS
www.LIHS.org
Page 3
Gut-Loading
I guess you might call this issue, ―THE FROG ISSUE‖. I came across a number of articles dealing with frogs and amphibians. I knew it must be, when nearly completed, I received
a ―press release‖ from the AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY detailing the return
of a special exhibition, ―FROGS: A CHORUS OF COLORS‖ ( more information on Page xx ).
Of course, there are other articles. Next month, I will do a write-up on the CSHFHA LI Herp
Day ( including some great photos ) and our 1st LIHS Auction.
Once again, I have tried to UNDERLINE and ―HIGHLIGHT‖ related LINKS in RED,
BLUE or PURPLE. Let me know how these LINKS are working for you.
Please send me articles ( original or reprints ), tips, photos ( especially your own ), cartoons, original drawings, etc. When submitting any material, please document it. Reprinted material, please provide article title ( if applicable ), publisher ( with electronic media, include the
URL ), date and your name. When submitting photos, include any captions. For personal photos, caption and include your name, date, and any other information that might be pertinent to
the photos and our readers. I will accept HERP CLASSIFIEDs as space permits.
You can submit articles, questions, or suggestions to me at < Gojiira@Optonline.net >
Rich Meyer, Jr.
LIHS Editor
JOINING the LIHS or RENEWING an LIHS Membership
You can JOIN the LIHS or RENEW an LIHS Membership in several manners. Join or Renew
at a meeting or LIHS Event or MAIL your completed LIHS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION with
$25.00 payment ( cash [ meetings only ], check or money order ) made to the LIHS. Not sure
if your RENEWAL is due?? Email me at < Gojiira@Optonline.net >
Print out an LIHS membership application from our website at
http://www.lihs.org/files/member.htm or ―CLICK‖ on LIHS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION . Fill it
out and bring to a meeting or mail it to:
LIHS
476 North Ontario Avenue
Lindenhurst, New York 11757-3909
As ALL LIHS JOURNALS will now be sent ELECTRONICALLY, so, PLEASE
make sure to include an EMAIL ADDRESS with your LIHS Membership /
Renewal Application.
www.LIHS.org
Page 4
Long Island Herpetological Society, Inc.
A NYS Registered
Non-Profit Organization
Profits benefit L.I.H.S. Supported Programs including
Educational Programs & Environmental Causes
th
20 Annual LIHS
Free Advice
Husbandry
Feeding
Lighting
Heating
Equipment
Reptiles & Amphibians
On Sale
Reptile & Amphibian Expo
October 17th, 2009 ( Saturday )
Roosevelt Hall ~ Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, New York
( Located on ROUTE 110, Melville Road ENTRANCE )
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Live Reptiles, Equipment, Books, Caging on Sale
LIHS Judged Reptile/Amphibian Show - Trophies, Ribbons
( Call for INFO to ENTER SHOW - see Box Below )
For additional information regarding:



The LIHS EXPO / VENDOR TABLE
Entering the LIHS R/A SHOW
The LIHS



TEL: ( 631 ) 884-5447
Web: www.LIHS.org
Email: Gojiira@Optonline.net
ADMISSION
Adults................................. $6.00
Children & Seniors............. $4.00
LIHS Members................... $3.00 *
Children under 5................. FREE
FSC Students……………………. $3.00 *
FSC Faculty……………………….. $3.00 *
* Must be a “Current” LIHS Member
* Must have “Current” Student/Faculty I.D.
www.LIHS.org
Page 5
Panama Amphibian Rescue & Conservation Project
Eight Institutions Tell the World Why Amphibians Matter
A
mphibians are in crisis. One third of all known
amphibian species are in danger of being
wiped out and one of the main threats is Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) - a.k.a. amphibian chytrid fungus. Experts and institutions have
joined together to rescue and possibly save numerous
species.
Mission: Our mission is to rescue amphibian species
that are in extreme danger of extinction from amphibian
chytrid disease sweeping through Panama. We will focus our efforts and expertise on developing appropriate
technologies to control the amphibian chytrid fungus, so
that one day captive amphibians may be re-introduced to
the wild.
Global Declines
Since 1980 more than 120 species of amphibians have gone extinct, compared to 5 bird
species and no mammals. One of threats responsible for these enigmatic declines is a disease
called chytridiomycosis, caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd for
short), that was described in 1999 by researchers at the University of Maine and the National
Zoo in Washington DC. Scientists think that the disease was spread around the world on the
skin of African Clawed frogs that were being used in the 1940’s for human pregnancy testing.
When this novel disease arrived in a new country, it spread rapidly in the water, often leading
to amphibian declines as it spread. Gastric brooding frogs in Australia, Golden Coqui frogs
from Puerto Rico, Monte Verde Golden toads from Costa Rica, Panamanian Golden Frogs
from Panama and Wyoming toads from the USA are all extinct in the wild because of Bd.
Deadly disease
In mountainous parts of Central and South America, Bd was associated with drastic
mortality events. Within the first 5 months of arriving at a site, Bd would wipe out half of the
species and reduce the abundance of surviving species to about 20% of what they are normally. Bd has been sweeping southwards through Central America and throughout the Northern
Andes of South America. The last remaining place in Central America that has not been hit yet
is Eastern Panama. In 2008, however, we had official news that the fungus hopped the canal
and 25-50 species in Eastern Panama are thought to be in grave risk of extinction as the fungus spreads at a rate of about 30km per year.
Amphibian Rescues
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The only way we will be able to mitigate the loss of so many species is by capturing
some representatives of each endangered species and breeding them in captive locations
where the animals can be protected from the disease. Hopefully this will buy us some time to
develop a cure for the fungus that can be used in wild situations. Researchers at James Madison and Vanderbilt Universities have recently discovered a kind of bacteria that produces antifungal chemicals that inhibit Bd. Our hope is that one day we might be able to treat vulnerable
frogs with these probiotic bacteria and release them into the wild. In the mean time much more
research needs to be done.
Partners
Africam Safari – the Africam Safari is a private zoo based in
Puebla, Mexico. Their staff led several amphibian conservation
efforts in Mexico, such as a captive breeding program and habitat recovery for the large-crested toad Incillus cristatus. Africam
has also leads the Amphibian Commission of the Mexican Zoos
and Aquariums Association and in the 2006 organized along with
Amphibian Ark the first Amphibian Biology and Management Course held in Latin-America.
The Zoo also heads the IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) for Mexico. These activities, in addition to their financial and logistic contributions to this project make
them one of the leading amphibian conservation organizations in Latin America.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a midsize
zoo based in Colorado that has been helping endangered amphibians for
many years. They participate in a breeding program for Wyoming toads
that are extinct in the wild due to amphibian chytrid fungus. Their leadership has been instrumental to launching this project and their enthusiastic
staff assists with the volunteer program, development of education programs and the veterinary program in Panama.
Defenders of Wildlife – was founded in 1947, Defenders of
Wildlife is one of the world’s leaders in science-based, resultsoriented wildlife conservation. Their tireless advocacy for the
protection of endangered species is reflected in their actions as
they have stepped forward to help save the last remaining amphibians that have not yet been ravaged by deadly amphibian
Chytrid disease. In addition to their direct participation in the
project, they have pledged to use their resources and networks
to help mobilize public and political support for amphibian conservation.
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Houston Zoo Inc. - the Houston Zoo has a long history of amphibian conservation in Panama and founded the El Valle Amphibian Conservation
Center (EVACC) in central Panama. They rescued several species of amphibians from Western Panama that have now probably been wiped out by
Chytrid fungus. Their leadership and swift reaction helped draw global attention to the problem, and this project will build on their initial efforts. With
help from their in-country experts and experience we will conduct rescue
operations to avert the extinctions of up to 25 species of amphibians at risk
in Eastern Panama. Houston Zoo continues to develop sound animal husbandry species for many of these animals that have never been held in captivity before.
Smithsonian Institution – the Smithsonian’s National Zoological
Park is coordinating and leading this partnership. In addition to the
Eastern Panama rescue effort, they are active participants in Project
Golden Frog and house a large proportion of the world’s surviving
population of Panamanian Golden Frogs in the Reptile Discovery
Center, and in the US they are working to conserve Appalachian salamanders. They will be coordinating closely with researchers at
Vanderbilt University to try and develop a cure to the amphibian Chytrid disease that may one day allow us to reintroduce amphibians
that have gone extinct due to Bd into the wild.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute - STRI, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is
a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The institute furthers the understanding of tropical nature
and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and
promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. STRI will assume the lead on coordinating in-country volunteers and provide
in-country scientific oversight to this program.
Summit Municipal Park - the Summit Municipal Park is Panama-City’s only public Zoological Park and Botanical Gardens. They
provide a home for the Amphibian Rescue Center which is being
be expanded to house threatened amphibians from Eastern Panama. In addition to housing and caring for the amphibians, they
have an excellent public amphibian conservation exhibit and outreach program reaching over 100,000 Panamanian visitors (5% of
Panama’s population) each year.
Zoo New England - Zoo New England provides all aspects of veterinary oversight for this project. This includes leadership in developing of protocols for quarantine, biosecurity, treatment of chytridiomycosis, treatment of common ailments and nutrition that
might affect the captive collection. Zoo New England will also take
responsibility for training interested veterinarians from partner institutions, as well as Summit Municipal Park’s resident veterinarian,
in principles of amphibian medicine.
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To learn more about the Panama Amphibian Rescue & Conservation project visit the website
at Panama Amphibian Rescue & Conservation Project. There are numerous photos of the
various amphibians that they will be trying to save from extinction.
The Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, hopes to stop the spread of the fastspreading chytid fungus and includes the eight zoos and research institutions listed above, including the Smithsonian Institution.
From top left ( clockwise ) ( 1 ) AP Photo - Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs are seen at the National Zoo in
Washington. Scientists say frog species are in danger from the spread of a chytrid fungus that is killing
amphibians at an alarming rate. ( 2 ) AP Photo - A White's Tree Frog tries to climb out of its container
at the National Zoo in Washington ( 3 ) AP Photo - A Panamanian Golden Frog is seen at the National
Zoo in Washington. This frog species is in danger from the spread of a chytrid fungus that is killing amphibians at an alarming rate ( 4 ) AP Photo - A White's Tree Frog tries to climb out of its container at
the National Zoo in Washington. This frog's skin produces a peptide that can help deter HIV.
Downloaded from the Panama Amphibian Rescue & Conservation Project
http://amphibianrescue.com/wordpress/
Posted and accessed May 11, 2009
www.LIHS.org
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Probiotic Bug Is A Frog Lifesaver
by Linda Geddes
A
DEADLY fungus thought to be behind declining amphibian populations worldwide is
spreading fast - most recently to the Philippines, where it has just been detected. But
now researchers are finding ways to fight back.
They are pinning some hope on a probiotic
skin bacterium that occurs naturally on the skin of
several amphibian species. One of the first animals to benefit could be the Panamanian golden
frog, a striking yellow toad now extinct in the wild
that has become a symbol for amphibian conservationists ( see right ).
Public enemy number one is the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ), which causes
chytrid disease. Reid Harris of James Madison
University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and colleagues reported last year that frogs exposed to
Bd maintained their weight better if they were first
coated with the bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum. Now they have shown the treatment stops
frogs dying from the disease, and they know how
it works.
Amphibians like this Golden Frog
( Atelopus zeteki ) are in grave danger
from a fungus that is spreading amongst
their populations, but help may be at
hand ( Photo: Alex Kerstitch )
Harris's team dunked 12 mountain yellow-legged frogs in a bath of J. lividum and then
infected six of them with Bd, along with six untreated frogs. Twenty weeks later, five of the untreated frogs had died, while all six treated frogs survived and even gained weight ( The ISME
Journal, DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2009.27 ). The treated frogs' skin contained high levels of an antibiotic called violacein, which is produced by the bacteria. Harris presented the results last
month at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Later this year, the researchers plan to test the treatment on Panamanian golden frogs
which have been bred in captivity. If that works too, they envisage a trial in a more natural setting in Panama - perhaps in large cages next to a stream. Ultimately, they hope it may be
possible to protect frogs in the wild by treating both animals and the soil and water in their habitats with the probiotic.
"I applaud what they're doing," says Trenton Garner of the Institute of Zoology in London. "So many people are talking about chytrid, but very few are actually taking steps to find
out if anything can be done to try to mitigate it."
In April, Garner's team travelled to Majorca, Spain, for the first ever attempt to tackle Bd
in the wild. They removed tadpoles of the Majorcan midwife toad from an isolated set of ponds
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and are now treating them with the antifungal drug, itraconazole. The toadlets will be returned
to the ponds in October.
Downloaded from the New Scientist
Magazine issue 2711
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227115.300-probiotic-bug-is-a-froglifesaver.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
June 08, 2009
Scientists Airlift Giant, Endangered Frogs
Mountain Chicken Frogs Of Montserrat Threatened By Virgulent Fungus
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Scientists are airlifting
dozens of one of the world's largest frogs off of
Montserrat island to save them from a deadly fungus devastating their dwindling habitat.
The dense forest of this tiny British Caribbean territory is the last remaining stronghold of the
critically endangered mountain chicken frog, a 2pound, frying pan-size amphibian that got its name
because locals say its meat tastes like - you
guessed it - chicken.
Once eaten as a delicacy, the frog was
hunted and much of its habitat on Montserrat was
destroyed by the temperamental Soufriere Hills volcano. Now experts fear a virulent fungus could decimate the few thousand frogs they estimate survive.
"Its impact has been catastrophic," Andrew
Cunningham, senior scientist with the Zoological Society of London, said of the chytrid fungus. "The
mountain chicken frog has been virtually wiped out.‖
An adult female mountain chicken
frog in healthy condition is shown
during a night survey at Fairy Walk in
the Caribbean island of Montserrat on
March 6, 2009. Scientists are airlifting
the frogs, one of the world's largest
frog species, to Sweden and Britain to
save them from a deadly fungus devastating its dwindling habitat.
( AP Photo: Gerardo Garcia, Durrell
Wildlife Conservation Trust )
Experts have found 300 dead frogs and believe hundreds more have perished since the
fungus surfaced in late February, said Gerardo Garcia, director of the herpetology department
at the British-based Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
To save the frogs, scientists are giving some of them anti-fungal baths and scooping up
dozens of others and flying them at a total cost of $14,000 to zoos in Britain and Sweden,
where they live in temperature-controlled rooms with automatic spray systems. About 50 have
been flown off the island.
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Biologists clad in full paper suits will care for them until they are released.
"We're in a situation where the species could become extinct forever," Garcia said.
Frogs should ideally be kept in their natural habitat, but flying them out was the only
short-term solution, said Andrew Terry, Durrell's conservation manager.
They would not have enough to eat if restricted to fungus-free areas, he said.
"Mountain chickens are hardy animals with a wide range of dietary needs," Terry said.
The fungus already has devastated the mountain chicken on Dominica, a nearby island
that once served as the frog's other home and whose coat of arms bears the amphibian's image.
Natives on both islands used to favor the frog's meaty legs, although it is mostly tourists
now who request them, said Gerard Gray, director of Montserrat's Department of Environment.
Experts are still trying to figure out how to eradicate the fungus, which has killed a range
of frog species from Asia to South America.
Chytridiomycosis causes lethargy and convulsions, and thickens the skin that frogs
breathe through.
Mountain chickens are nocturnal animals that live in rough terrain, making them hard to
find to get an accurate tally of their numbers, Gray said. Scientists estimate a few thousand
live on Montserrat.
The large frogs sound like a small howling dog when they croak.
Gray remembers the night he heard a mountain chicken croak and it was so loud he
thought it had crawled under his bed.
"My wife laughed at me," he said. "It was in the forest where it was supposed to be."
Hunting aside, the number of frogs was already dwindling in Montserrat because of the
active volcano. It has erupted continuously since 1995 and forced more than half of the island's
12,000 people to leave.
But the volcano might prove to be the frog's ultimate savior. Local officials hope to relocate the frog to a region cut off by lava and ash that is inaccessible by foot, and - they hope free of fungus.
CBSNews.com
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/08/tech/main5002548.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_5
002548
Posted May 8, 2009 / Accessed May 11, 2009
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LIHS Editor NOTE: The Mountain Chicken Frog or ―Giant Ditch Frog‖ [ Leptodactylus fallax ],
may grow to 6 ½ inches ( 16 cm ) long. It is terrestrial and nocturnal. It is estimated that there
are only 8,000 individuals left in the wild. Is the largest amphibian in the Caribbean. The large
frogs’ croak is described as sounding like a small howling dog.
Above – area where the Mountain Chicken Frog Leptodactylus fallax occurs
Map from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species page:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/57125
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Chiricahua leopard frog recovery is still a distant
destination, but the journey has begun.
By Jim Rorabaugh, Melissa Kreutzian, Mike Sredl, Charlie Painter,
Roberto Aguilar, Juan Carlos Bravo, and Carter Kruse
Recovery — it is the most important part of endangered species conservation.
For most species, considerable funding and staff resources are
needed to overcome years of population declines and habitat
degradation. Despite the limited resources available, and with a
lot of help from friends and partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service has put together a recovery program for the threatened
Chiricahua leopard frog ( Lithobates chiricahuensis ).
To augment the scarce funds available for recovery activities, the Service has engaged its Partners for Fish and Wildlife
Program and applied to grants and foundations. The Service
and a dedicated host of partners are slowly making progress
toward the recovery of this species.
A Chiricahua leopard frog
from the Pajarito Mountains in Arizona near the
Mexican border.
The Chiricahua leopard frog is a large, often green, spotted frog that historically was common in the mountains and high
valleys of central and southeastern Arizona, west-central and
southwestern New Mexico, and southward in the Sierra Madre
Occidental and associated sky islands of northeastern Sonora and western Chihuahua, Mexico. The frog was known to inhabit 469 historical localities. Declines were first noted in the early to mid-1970s, and today the species is only known to exist at about 41 localities in Arizona
and 30 to 35 localities in New Mexico. Its status in Mexico is poorly known, but Chiricahua leopard frogs have declined to some extent there as well.
The Mexican government lists it as amenazada ( threatened ).
The causes of the decline are not always clear, and several interacting factors are often
at play, but experts on the Chiricahua leopard frog generally agree that predation by introduced species (especially American bullfrogs, sport fishes, and crayfish), and an apparently introduced fungal skin disease ( chytridiomycosis ) that is killing frogs and toads around the
globe are the leading causes. Other problems, such as loss and degradation of wetlands, recent catastrophic wildfires, drought, and contaminants, have contributed to the decline.
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The Chiricahua Leopard Frog Recovery Plan was completed in early 2007. It was developed in an open process with a technical team that provided top-notch scientific expertise,
while three stakeholder groups kept the process grounded in the social, economic, and nutsand-bolts realities of achieving recovery on the ground. Key elements include protecting the
remaining populations and habitats, establishing new populations, monitoring progress, research, public outreach, and adaptive management.
The primary threats — introduced predators and chytridiomycosis — are not easily addressed. Predators can be controlled at small sites, but eliminating them from large, complex
systems is often impossible with current technology. Except for taking precautions not to
spread the disease ourselves, scientists are only beginning to understand how to deal with chytridiomycosis. Some frog populations are persisting with the disease, especially at warmer and
lower sites, and they could provide key insights into how to manage the disease. The recovery team is looking into several questions: are the frogs developing resistance to the disease? Are
there environmental factors allowing their persistence, or both?
The Service has experimented with eliminating the disease from
habitats but are a long way from solving that problem. The strategy for now has been to try to maintain the remaining populations
and begin reestablishing populations and improving habitats in
places where introduced predators and disease are absent or
manageable.
These reintroductions typically involve collecting egg
masses from the wild, hatching the eggs and headstarting tadpoles at the Phoenix Zoo or other facilities, and releasing latestage tadpoles or metamorph frogs. Limited wild-to-wild movements of egg masses and frogs, as well as captive propagation,
have also been employed. Scientists have honed techniques and
protocols over the past 12 years, and most reestablishments now
successfully result in breeding populations.
Combining outreach and
recovery, students and
their parents from Sierra
Vista, Arizona, assist in
a release of frogs that
were headstarted at the
Phoenix Zoo.
These recovery actions have been facilitated by 1) a special rule under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act that
allows incidental take of frogs resulting from operation and maintenance of livestock waters on
non-federal lands, 2) Safe Harbor Agreements with the Arizona Game and Fish Department
and the Malpai Borderlands Group (a progressive group of conservation ranchers), and 3) programmatic grazing consultations with involved federal agencies on public lands. The 4(d) rule
and Safe Harbor Agreements help us build trust with ranchers and private landowners, while
the programmatic consultations provide a framework within which to move forward on recovery
with the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and livestock grazing permittees. Artificial water sources developed for cattle have become important habitats for Chiricahua leopard
frogs, so tools that help the Service work in partnership with ranchers are critical to recovery.
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On Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch in New Mexico and at a high school in Douglas, Arizona, captive propagation and head-starting facilities are under construction. Thanks to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Tonto National Forest, and Phoenix Zoo, aggressive efforts
to restore habitats and reestablish populations are rebuilding a metapopulation (a group of
spatially separated populations that exchange individuals through immigration and emigration)
of Chiricahua leopard frogs near Young, Arizona. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Zoo and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson are cautiously breeding the last remaining frogs from
the Coconino National Forest and the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona for reestablishment at
multiple sites. Major habitat restoration programs underway at two sites in southeastern Arizona, and one in the boot heel of New Mexico will benefit Chiricahua leopard frogs and other imperiled wetland species. We are also working with Mexican partners to build capacity for amphibian conservation in northwestern Mexico. In August 2008, the Service will hold a workshop
at a private reserve in northern Sonora owned by Naturalia (a Mexican conservation group) to
instruct Mexican biologists on survey protocols and techniques for captive husbandry, propagation, and headstarting of amphibians.
Restoring an imperiled species is not an easy
process, but with hard work from many partners, all
parties are beginning to see how the Chiricahua
leopard frog might one day be secure again. Recovery is still a distant destination, but the journey has
begun.
Jim Rorabaugh, the Service’s recovery leader
for the Chiricahua leopard frog, is located in the
Tucson, Arizona, Field Office. Melissa Kreutzian, the
Service’s lead for Chiricahua leopard frog recovery
in New Mexico, is located in Albuquerque. Mike
Sredl is the Ranid Frog Programs Manager for the
Arizona Game and Fish Department in Phoenix.
Charlie Painter is the herpetologist for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in Albuquerque.
Roberto Aguilar, DVM, is the Director of Conservation and Science at the Phoenix Zoo. Juan Carlos
Bravo, Naturalia’s Northwestern Mexico representative, is located in Hermosillo, Sonora. Carter Kruse is a senior aquatic biologist with the Turner Endangered Species Fund in Bozeman,
Montana.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2008 Highlights Endangered Species Bulletin
Volume 33, No. 4
Pages 10 – 11
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/bulletin/2008/2008_highlights.pdf
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Page 16
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Presents
A captivating exhibition showcasing more than 200 live frogs from around the world
Web: http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/frogs/?src=h_h
Admission***:



Adults: $24.00
Children (2-12): $14.00
Senior/Student with ID: $18.00
Timed entrance to Frogs is available every thirty minutes from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. The last timed-entry to the exhibition is at 4:30 pm.
An engaging, fact-filled exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History that features
more than 200 live frogs, including 9 species of colorful dart-poison frogs. On view from May
30, 2009, through January 3, 2010, the exhibition explores the colorful and diverse world of
these complex amphibians by introducing visitors to their biology and evolution, their importance to ecosystems, and the threats they face in the wild.
New to the exhibition this year are Amazon milk frogs. the females lay eggs in foam nests,
created by beating a frothy secretion into foam with their hind legs, attached to branches overhanging the water; and long-nosed horned frogs, which are camouflaged to mimic leaves.
The centerpiece of the exhibition—a 110cubic-foot dart-poison frog vivarium—
showcases more than 70 dart-poison frogs. A
sound-scape featuring the calls of more than
20 species fills this area with some of the
most unusual and bizarre vocalizations made
6+by these amphibians.
Frogs also features a diverse array of species
from around the world, including American
and African bullfrogs, Chinese gliding frogs,
ornate horned frogs, African clawed frogs, and
fire-bellied toads (see full list below).
Ornate Horned Frog ( Ceratophrys ornate )
Joe McDonald, Clyde Peeling's Reptiland
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Photos: ( Left ) Smokey Jungle Frog ( Leptodactylus pentadactylus ) Dave Northcott; ( Middle ) African
Clawed Frog ( Xenopus laevis ) Courtesy of Clyde Peeling's Reptiland; ( Right ) Golden Mantella Frog ( Mantella aurantiaca ) John Netherton, Clyde Peeling's Reptiland
Species Featured in Frogs: A Chorus of Colors
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African bullfrogs (Pyxicephalus adspersus)
African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)
Amazon milk frogs (Trachycephalus resinifictrix)
American bullfrogs and tadpoles (Lathobates
catesbeianus)
Borneo eared frogs (Polypedates otilophus)
Chinese gliding frogs (Rhacophorus dennysi)
Dart poison frogs ( 12 species represented )
Long-nosed horned frogs (Megophrys nasuta)
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Fire-bellied toads (Bombina orientalis)
Ornate horned frogs (Ceratophrys ornata)
Smokey jungle frogs (Leptodactylus pentadactylus)
Smooth-sided toads (Rhaebo guttatus)
Vietnamese mossy frogs (Theloderma corticale)
Waxy monkey frogs (Phyllomedusa sauvagii)
Hours: The Museum is open daily, 10 am –5:45 pm ( closed Thanksgiving and Christmas )
Admission*** : Suggested general admission, which supports the Museum’s scientific and
educational endeavors and includes 46 Museum halls and the Rose Center for Earth and
Space, is $15 ( adults ) suggested, $11 ( students/seniors ) suggested, $8.50 ( children ) suggested. All prices are subject to change.
The Museum offers discounted combination ticket prices that include suggested general admission plus special exhibitions, IMAX films, and Space Shows. Visitors who wish to pay less
than the suggested Museum admission and also want to attend a special exhibition, IMAX film,
or Space Show, may do so only on-site at the Museum. To the amount they wish to pay for
general admission, they should add $20 (adults), $16.50 (students/seniors), or $11 (children).
Public Information: For additional information, the public may call 212-769-5100 or visit the
Museum’s website at www.amnh.org or got to http://www.amnh.org/museum/welcome/
Visitors can also explore the Frogs Shop located on the first floor of the Main Shop, just
outside the exit to Frogs. The Shop features a wide selection of whimsical frog-themed merchandise, including an assortment of bath accessories, novelty toys, and stationery, as well as
a collection of educational and scientific books.
www.LIHS.org
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How Can YOU Help Frogs?
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Throw drugs in the trash instead of the toilet.
Use organic fertilizer and weed killers.
Preserve wetland habitats.
Acquire pets from reputable captive breeding programs that aren't collecting from the
wild, and don't release pets into the wild.
To learn more go to amphibianrescue.com
Why Save Frogs?
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Early warning system
Amphibians - frogs, toads, newts and salamanders - are very sensitive to environmental
change because of their permeable skin. They alert humans when things are going
awry. For example, changes in frogs can indicate the effects of fertilizers at levels so
low we can't test for it.
Medical research
Amphibians are used in hundreds of labs for the benefit of humans, and may be of help
for diseases including AIDS and diabetes.
Pest control
A world without frogs would be overrun by flies and mosquitoes.
Downloaded from The Gazette ( www.Gazette.com )
Zoo hops on board to save amphibians
http://www.gazette.com/articles/zoo-53659-frogs-species.html
Posted May 11, 2009; Accessed May 12, 2009
Attracting Amphibians to the Garden
One-third of Missouri's 43 native amphibians have deteriorating populations, but you
can help out by taking some steps to make your backyard more attractive to amphibians, said
a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
"Amphibians native to Missouri play an integral role in our ecosystems," said Marlin
Bates. Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders feed on insects and rodents and are in turn eaten
by larger animals.
"Although seldom seen, their presence is indicative of a healthy, sustainable environment. Whether your garden is in a small, rural community or surrounded by urban areas, there
are steps that you can take to create backyard habitats for these species," Bates added.
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To entice amphibians to your garden, you will need a pond or water garden, Bates said.
"Water depth has some influence over which species will be attracted, but the restrictions of
your property are more likely to determine the size and depth of a pond. Be sure to evaluate
maintenance requirements thoroughly before installing a pond."
Dense vegetation or layers of stone at or near the water's edge will create a more attractive environment for amphibians by providing shelter during daylight hours and places to lie
in wait for insects.
Research shows that native wildlife, including butterflies, birds and amphibians, are attracted to native plants more than nonnative species. By surrounding your water garden or
pond with native plant materials, you are creating a small ecosystem in your garden that will be
more attractive to amphibian species. "An added bonus, a water garden surrounded by native
plants serves as an enjoyable addition to the landscape," Bates said.
For more information about creating a water garden, see: ―Adding a Water Garden to
your Landscape‖ at http://ppp.missouri.edu/newsletters/meg/archives/v7n8/meg1.htm
Downloaded from Nevada Daily Mail
http://www.nevadadailymail.com/story/1545797.html
Posted and accessed June 9, 2009
John Heiser’s Banded Knob-tailed Gecko
( Nephrurus wheeleri )
Photo taken at PHOTORAMA, October 2008
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Sunbury Serpent Man Faces Charges ***
By Andrew Jefferson
A SUNBURY man faces a fine of up to $24,000 after two corn snakes were seized from
his home.
The 23-year-old has a license to keep native reptiles,
but not corn snakes, which are native to the corn fields of
North America.
That permission will now be reviewed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) after the discovery of the male and female snakes.
DSE senior investigator Keith Larner said the man
had been interviewed over the snakes and was expected to
be charged on summons.
―While we haven’t ascertained that any breeding has
gone on here, it’s always our worst fear when we find exotic
snakes,‖ Mr. Larner said. ―Corn snakes are prolific breeders
and they pose a real threat to our native snake populations,
both through disease and competition for prey if they are released into the wild.‖
One of the two corn snakes
seized in Sunbury by state officials.
Mr. Larner said the man had ―every reason‖ to fear losing his license to keep native reptiles.
―Keeping native reptiles is a privilege, not a right,‖ Mr. Larner said.
―This man would have been fully aware of the risks of keeping exotic snakes, and particularly in close proximity to his native collection.‖
DSE officers executed a search warrant on the man’s home last Tuesday after an anonymous call.
DSE has seized about 80 corn snakes over the past eight years, but it is believed there
are many more held illegally.
Mr. Larner urged anyone with information about illegal possession or trading of exotic
reptiles such as corn snakes to contact DSE on 136 186.
All calls to the department are treated in the strictest confidence.
Leader Community Newspaper
http://leader-news.whereilive.com.au/news/story/sunbury-serpent-man-faces-charges/
Posted 07 May 09 - Accessed May 08, 2009
*** LIHS Editor note: this story took place in Australia. Sunbury is 42 km ( you do the math ),
northwest of Melbourne.
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Page 21
LIHS Exhibition Photos
PHOTORAMA - October 2008
Clockwise ( from TOP ):
( 1 ) John Heiser’s Banded
Knob-tailed Gecko, ( Nephrurus wheeleri ); ( 2 ) Wayne
King’s Mountain ( Sailfin )
Chameleon ( female ), (
Chamaeleo ( Trioceros ) montium ); ( 3 ) Ed Bennett’s
Striped Albino California
Kingsnake, ( Lampropeltis
getula californiae )
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World Around You
by KELLY BOSTIAN World Outdoors Writer
I shot a snake last Sunday. Lucky for the snake I was using a camera. A lot of Oklahomans would have used something more lethal.
"That is one of the prettiest Northern water snakes ( Nerodia sipedon sipedon ) that I have ever seen. Thanks for
sharing the pic," wrote Barry Downer, curator of aquariums/herpetology at the
Tulsa Zoo, in an e-mail response to the
photo.
Woe to the water snake, a nonvenomous snake commonly misidentified
as a copperhead or a water moccasin.
A Northern water snake, commonly mistaken for
a copperhead and a water moccasin, rests in
shoreline brush on Eufaula Lake. The snakes
primarily eat frogs.
Photo: KELLY BOSTIAN
The specimen in my frame Sunday was basking — if you can call it that
on a rainy day — on limbs in the brush
along the shores of Eufaula Lake.
The snake likely makes its living there, eating frogs, tadpoles, the occasional crawfish or
a fish that is injured or diseased, according to Rusty Grimpe, a former herpetology curator at
the zoo who now volunteers for Oxley Nature Center.
"A lot of other snakes get a bum rap," he said. "But that's not saying you should kill
every water moccasin or copperhead, either. They all have their purpose."
The copper coloring of the water snake likely was the reason my companions thought it
was a copperhead. That's the reason lots of folks think they see copperheads where water
snakes lie.
A telephoto lens and a chance to examine a photo, however, made all the difference in
identification. The pupils in the eyes of this snake are rounded, not vertical slits as a venomous
snake would have. Head shape isn't always a positive way to identify a snake, but if this snake
was a copperhead, the shape of the head likely would be more angular and it would seem to
have a thinner "neck" near the head. Also absent are the heat-sensing "pits" — indicative of a
pit viper that would be visible between the eye and the nose.
Another hint is that the snake is suspended and basking over the water during the day,
a behavior typical of water snakes. Copperheads, with their copper-colored bands, typically
hide out on leafy grounds in the forests and are mostly nocturnal.
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Grimpe recommends an Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation book, A Field
Guide to Oklahoma's Amphibians and Reptiles, as a good resource for identifying snakes and
other critters in your backyard. The book can be purchased online, or at the Jenks office of the
Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Downloaded from the TULSA WORLD
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?subjectid=354&articleid=20090510_29_B11_ANrhr
a731925
Posted and accessed May 10, 2009
Wayne King’s Mountain ( Sailfin ) Chameleon ( female )
( Chamaeleo ( Trioceros ) montium )
Witness Snake Mating Season Near Winnipeg, Canada
www.LIHS.org
Page 24
By BOB ECKER
Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
NARCISSE, Manitoba – One might suspect that you'd have to travel to Africa, Australia or
Central America, but the fact is that the greatest number of snakes in one place on Earth can
be viewed about an hour and a half north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Yes, Winnipeg.
As we near the village of Narcisse,
I see little black lines darting off the road:
live red-sided garter snakes. We soon arrive at the Narcisse Snake Dens, a Manitoba Wildlife Management Area.
Some of the red-sided garter snakes are captured, numbered and released for further study.
Photo: Bob Ecker
I'm accompanied by guide Don
Finkbeiner and Jacques Bourgeois, a naturalist from the nearby Oak Hammock
Marsh Interpretive Centre. Although Finkbeiner is a native Winnipegger, he has
never seen the famous snakes, the
world's most northerly reptile, and appears apprehensive. Bourgeois, a burly
Quebecois who moved to Manitoba years
ago, is eager to show off some snakes.
And not a few snakes, but a lot. A huge
lot.
The occasional snake slithers along the path as Bourgeois leads us on a short hike to
the snake dens. He swoops down and expertly picks up a specimen. Harmless to humans, it
wriggles a little, then calms and looks at us placidly. About 18 inches long, black with a red
stripe, the reptile looks harmless, even a bit cuddly. Bourgeois gently puts it down, and we all
peer over a wooden railing into a well-established cave about 15 feet below the path.
I can see only dark rocks, crevices in the earth and some vegetation. Once my eyes become accustomed to the mottled light, the darkness comes to life, and I can see a few hundred
dark snakes moving. All males, I'm told, the first to awaken from a long winter's hibernation.
"It's amazing watching these little guys who, after spending six months starving in those
dark caves, come out so excited about mating," Bourgeois says.
The "boys" are stretching their legs, so to speak, and eagerly awaiting the females, often three times their size. Finally, an adult female slithers out of the cave and the males spring
into action. They pounce on her – with 10, 20, 50 or more males converging from all directions.
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The female bravely tries to go up and out of the cave. But the mating males are relentless,
forming writhing, moving globs of snakes, with a lone female in the middle.
Fifty or so very excited snakes in a ball make a sibilant rustling sound. Eventually mating occurs and the female is able to make her escape. After mating, the female emits a pheromone (like a diamond ring for snakes) that keeps the other males away.
Narcisse is in the Interlake region between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, two
huge inland bodies of water. The area contains plenty of food and water for wildlife, and, critically for the garters, vast underground limestone caves: ideal dens where the snakes can survive the long, cold Manitoba winters below the frost line. The snakes emerge after a long rest,
typically in late May.
After visiting similar pits, Bourgeois takes Finkbeiner and me to an unmarked site off of
a nearby dirt road where we meet Bob Mason, a professor of zoology at Oregon State University who is visiting with a few graduate students. They're tagging snakes for study.
"We're continuing to unravel the fantastic story of the snakes of Narcisse," he says.
Here, thousands upon thousands of snakes are cavorting. I look at Finkbeiner, and we
both shudder at the preposterous situation. Massive groups of snakes writhe on ledges, tree
limbs, plants and the ground. Some entwined groups slowly ooze down rocks, or roll in the
grass. Some groups seem as tangled as balls of twine and can't get themselves unraveled.
Mason estimates that there are about 35,000 snakes at one pit alone and 250,000 in the area.
These snakes emit a musky odor when aroused, which hangs heavy in the warm air.
After the males mate, they look for something to eat. (They love frogs.) And predators
(among them, large birds, mink, foxes, raccoons and skunks) look for careless Romeos to invite for a meal. It's like watching nature's bar scene.
Scientists are studying snake DNA, mating behavior, paternity and the red-sided garter's unremitting sexual appetite.
We stand on a snake highway: a path between two pits. Dozens of red-sided garter
snakes travel back and forth from one den to another. Snakes move right past us, sometimes
going around or through our legs, sometimes stopping at our feet and giving us a long look.
We watch as a healthy female races by, chased by two frisky males, eager to rub their
chins on her belly. (This reportedly gets her in the mood.)
In addition to attracting tourists, the dens draw schoolchildren on field trips. The kids we
see scream, yelp and whoop. They either crowd around or back away, but all appear fascinated.
Bourgeois is smiling, clearly pleased by so much biological activity.
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"At times, there are so many snakes that it feels like you're standing inside a bowl of live
spaghetti!"
He's right. Watch your step.
Getting there

Many airlines fly to Winnipeg, including Air Canada (www.aircanada.com), Delta/Northwest (www.delta.com), Westjet (www.westjet.com) and Alaska/Horizon
(www.alaskaair.com).

The Narcisse Snake Pits are about 80 miles north of Winnipeg. Wear rugged shoes and
layered clothing. Carry insect repellent and a camera.
Where to stay

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Winnipeg has many hotels at various price levels. Options: Destination Winnipeg,
www.destinationwinnipeg.ca.
Radisson Hotel Winnipeg, 288 Portage Ave. Within walking distance of nearly everything downtown. From about $145 per night. Ask about packages. Contact: 204-9560410; www.radisson.com/winnipegca.
Inn at the Forks, 75 Forks Market Road. Boutique hotel at historic junction of Red and
Assiniboine rivers. Modern, stylish. Convenient to many outdoor activities. From about
$150 per night. Ask about packages. Contact: 204-942-6555; www.innforks.com.
Resources
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Province: www.travelmanitoba.com
Snakes: www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/ wildlife/managing/snakes
Downloaded from the Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/thisweek/stories/DNsnakesplain_0510tra.ART0.State.Edition1.4cc853f.html
Posted and accessed Monday, May 11, 2009
....and you thought Yogi Berra had the corner on malapropisms??
When Danny Ozark ( who recently passed away ) managed the Phillies,
someone told him about a couple of big-league players in trouble for pep pills.
Ozark asked, "What are they using, those illegal amphibians?"
Downloaded from the San Francisco Chronicle – “Knucklehead of the Week‖
http://sfchronicle.us/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/09/SPT217H1HS.DTL
Posted and Accessed Sunday, May 10, 2009
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Did You Ever Wonder?
How Does a Snake Swallow a Larger Snake?
How the common king snake can ingest other snakes that equal or exceed its own
length was long a mystery. But scientists now think they know some of the reptile's supersizing tricks.
Kate Jackson of the University of Toronto and colleagues
used an array of video and still
images to get a play-by-play look
at king snakes ( Lampropeltis getulas ) as they devoured corn
snakes ( Elaphe guttata ) that
were at least as long.
1. After the king snake constricted and subdued its
prey, it began the exhaustive ―transport cycle,‖ to
get the slithering snack into its belly. Called a pterygoid walk, the king snake
opened up its jaw and alternately ratcheted toothy
Snake jaws, by the way, are unlike those of other animals
parts of its upper jaw over
in their ability to open wide to swallow big fat things, too.
the surface of the prey, in
turn ―walking‖ its mouth over and around the prey.
Video: Snake Capture or
http://www.livescience.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=capture
2. To help pull in its prey, the king snake compressed its own vertebral column into a series of concertina-like waves that shortened and lengthened its body.
Video: Snake Swallow or
http://www.livescience.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=oral
3. The king snake forced the prey’s vertebral column to bend into waves and compress as
if an accordion. Even with eyes bigger than its stomach, the king snake could package
its meal to ensure a perfect fit inside its gastrointestinal tract.
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Video: Snake Stomach or
http://www.livescience.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=orocervical
4. With all that work, most of the king snakes regurgitated partially digested prey. Just one
snake-snacker completely digested its prey, a feat that took 15 days!
Video: Snake Regurgitation or
http://www.livescience.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=regurgitation
Downloaded from LiveScience.com
http://www.livescience.com/mysteries/070228_snake_bytes.html
No POSTING date
Do Snakes Have Ears?
Snakes have no visible ear, so they don't hear sounds as we do.
But it's not quite right to say that snakes are deaf. They have vestiges of the apparatus
for hearing inside their heads, and that setup is attached to their jaw bones, so they feel vibrations very well and may hear low-frequency airborne sounds.
It's though that the hissing sound snakes make is purely to warn other creatures, because presumably snakes can't use sound to communicate with each other.
Downloaded from Livescience.com
http://www.livescience.com/mysteries/080708-llm-snakes-heat.html
No POSTING date
Can Snakes Smell Anything?
Most snakes have an excellent sense of smell, in part to make up for their poor eyesight
and limited hearing.
Rather than a conventional nose, however, snakes sniff with an organ at the roof of the
mouth called a Jacobson's organ, which is also found in a few lizard species.
Snakes flick their tongues to collect scent particles for this organ. The prongs of the
forked tongue is stuck into a pair of holes in the Jacobson's organ. The snake's nostrils also
play a supporting role.
Downloaded from Livescience.com
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No POSTING date
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Komodo Even More Deadly Than Thought
ome researchers believe that prey
are killed by pathogenic bacteria in
the dragons' mouths but the new research - published in the latest issue
of Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences - shows that the combination of
the reptiles' teeth and venom likely accounts for their hunting prowess.
S
Some researchers believe that prey are killed by
pathogenic bacteria in the dragons' mouths but
the new research shows that the combination of
the reptiles' teeth and venom likely accounts for
their hunting prowess.
Two dragons trying to consume the same carcass. Photo Credit: www.zoo.org
"The view that the Komodo routinely kills using dirty oral bacteria is wrong,"
says research co-author, Dr Stephen Wroe
from the University of New South Wales,
Australia. "The dragon is truly poisonous.
It has modified salivary glands that deliver
both hypertensive and anti-blood-clotting
agents, which, in combination with
lightweight but sophisticated cranial and
dental adaptations, allows it to kill large
animals through rapid blood loss."
The researchers used computer
modeling to analyze the Komodo dragon
bite and found that dragons have much weaker bites than crocodiles of a similar size. However, magnetic resonance imaging revealed the dragons have complex venom glands as well.
After surgically excising the glands from a terminally ill dragon in a zoo, the researchers
used mass spectrometry to obtain a profile of the venom, finding that the toxin was similar to
that of the Gila monster and many snakes. The venom causes a severe loss in blood pressure
by preventing blood clotting and widening blood vessels, thus inducing shock in a victim.
The researchers also examined fossils of the giant extinct dragon relative Varanus megalania and determined that this seven-meter-long lizard was one of the largest venomous animals to have ever lived.
A member of the goanna family with ancestors dating back more than 100 million years,
the Komodo dragon is the world's largest living lizard and inhabits the central Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. It grows to an average length of
two to three meters and weighs around 70 kilograms. The reptile's unusual size is attributed to
a phenomenon known as island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous mammals to
fill the niche on the islands where they live.
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The lizards are apex predators and dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Although Komodo dragons eat carrion, they also hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates,
birds, and mammals.
The dragon's large size and fearsome reputation has made it a popular zoo exhibit
since Western scientists first brought it to world attention in 1910. In the wild its total population is estimated at 4,000 to 5,000. Its range has contracted due to human activities and it is
listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Source: University of New South Wales
Downloaded from PhysOrg.com
http://www.physorg.com/news161885734.html
May 18, 2009
Ancient Dragon has Space-Age Skull
A member of the goanna family with ancestors dating back more than 100 million years,
the dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ) uses a combination of 60 razor-sharp serrated teeth, powerful neck muscles and what researchers are calling a "space-frame" skull to butcher prey
with awesome efficiency, the study found.
Photo caption: Two dragons trying to consume the same carcass. Credit: www.zoo.org
They note that the dragon – inhabiting the central Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca,
Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami – shares the feeding and dental characteristics of extinct
dinosaurs, sharks and saber-toothed cats. Scientists Karen Moreno and Stephen Wroe from
the University of New South Wales have used a computer-based technique called Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to test the bite force and feeding mechanics of the predator. Their findings are to be published in the latest issue of the Journal of Anatomy.
Normally used in the analysis of trains, planes and cars, the technique allowed the team
to "reverse engineer" nature's design to assess the mechanical forces that a Komodo skull can
handle. "The Komodo has a featherweight, space-frame skull and bites like a wimp," according
to Wroe, "but a combination of very clever engineering, and wickedly sharp teeth, allow it to do
serious damage to even buffalo-sized prey.
―The Komodo displays a unique hold and pull-feeding technique," says Dr Wroe. "Its delicate skull differs greatly from most living terrestrial large prey specialists, but it’s a precision
instrument, beautifully optimized to make the most of its natural cranial and dental properties.
"Unlike most modern predators, Varanus komodoensis applies minimal input from the
jaw muscles when killing and butchering prey. But it compensates using a series of actions
controlled by its postcranial muscles. A particularly interesting feature of the skull's performance is that it reveals considerably lower overall stress when these additional forces driven
by the neck are added to those of the jaw-closing muscles.
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"This remarkable reduction in stress in response to additional force is facilitated partly
by the shape of the bones, but also by the way bone of different strengths are arranged within
the skull."
The Komodo dragon grows to an average length of two to three meters and weighing
around 70 kilograms. The reptile's unusual size is attributed to island gigantism, since there
are no other carnivorous mammals to fill the niche on the islands where they live. As a result of
their size, these lizards are apex predators, dominating the ecosystems in which they live. Although Komodo dragons eat mostly carrion, they will also hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals.
Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by
gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. Discovered by Western scientists in
1910, the Komodo dragon’s large size and fearsome reputation makes it a popular zoo exhibit.
In the wild its total population is estimated at 4,000-5,000: its range has contracted due to human activities and it is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.
Source: University of New South Wales
PhysOrg.com < http://www.physorg.com/news127387639.html >
April 14th, 2008
John Heiser’s Harlequin Crested Gecko
( Rhacodactylus ciliates )
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Page 32
The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the
World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers
Creepy Crawly Crime
Bryan Christy uncovers the Reptile Mafia
Review by John Hood
The Van Nostrands may not have been the biggest South Florida
crime family, but they sure were among the creepiest. In fact, as owners and operators of Hollywood’s Strictly Reptiles, creepy was their
stock-in-trade. Thing is Strictly wasn’t just some mom-and-pop pet
shop dealing in over-the-counter iguanas and turtles; they were the
epicenter of a worldwide ring of herp smugglers so brash they
brought in dragons right under Customs’ nose.
So runs the high-stakes story in Bryan Christy’s creepily
compelling The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the
World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers (Twelve, $24.99), a book so complicitly illicit that it could only take place right here in our own backyard.
Or, in Strictly’s case, a Broward County warehouse where the world’s most endangered
species were bought and sold like puppies or guppies — or drugs.
Actually, even the Feds saw a parallel between drug running and snake smuggling, with
one added minus: Most of the species ―suitcased‖ into the country never lived to see a suburban kid’s cage.
But if the Feds saw a parallel, it was only in passing. See, to most ops, catching a cat
with a pillowcase full of pythons would never rank as glamorous as nailing a tanker full of coke.
Consequently, very little attention was paid to the illegal reptile trade.
Thank Zeus there were exceptions, most notably Special Agent Chip Bepler of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, who devoted his whole life not just to tracking and catching the bad
guys behind the trafficking, but to making sure that they were prosecuted — at least as far as
the law allowed.
Unfortunately for hundreds of thousands of the most coveted — and most dangerous —
specimens, the law didn’t allow much. But Bepler persevered until eventually he and a coterie
of like-minded law enforcement officials from here to Holland took down the Reptile Mafia,
lock, stock and barrelful.
Well, almost. Strictly’s still in business, albeit legally (one hopes). But that doesn’t at all
diminish the breadth of the game or the drama of the chase, from Mike Van Nostrand’s thumbing of his nose (he called his boat ―Conditional Release,‖ which is what the Feds had to do with
www.LIHS.org
Page 33
what they caught), to Anson Wong, ―the Pablo Escobar of the live reptile trade,‖ who sat untouchable behind Malaysian borders. Along the way was Pet Farm Willie, an Indiana Jones
type named Henry Molt Jr., and a shady man named Hart who put out a call for everything
from frilled dragons to bear gall bladders.
It’s not a nice story, but it is nicely told, and pretty amazing to see it’s the really scaly
creatures featured in its midst are people who look probably a whole lot like us.
Ugh.
Reprinted from Caxton Newspapers, Inc.
http://www.miamisunpost.com/080708bound.htm
August 07, 2008
Ed Bennett’s Okeetee Corn Snake
( Elaphe guttata guttata )
www.LIHS.org
Page 34
Pet Owner Chooses Snake And Chips
A
Nottinghamshire vet has begun micro-chipping reptiles as more owners of exotic animals turn to having their pets chipped for security.
One man who keeps dozens of snakes has taken two of the valuable pets to the surgery for the chips to be implanted.
Dave Ward, Ilkeston, owns 30 snakes including two adult Dumeril boas, which have undergone the procedure.
The 6 ft ( 1.82 m ) long reptiles have been injected in the neck with a microchip at Buckley House Vet Centre in Hucknall.
Reptile expert, Ashley Swift, said it was a busy
time of year for reptile breeders who are legally obliged
to register animals they intend to sell.
Mr. Swift, from The Reptile Centre, Nottingham,
said: "They'll have to get the parents chipped so they
can register the babies - it's like a birth certificate."
More than 450,000 animals have been microPet owners that intend to sell
their animals must get them
micro-chipped
chipped in the past five years in the UK.
Graham Oliver from Buckley House Vet Centre said
snakes were among the many creatures which came
into the centre.
"We chip all sorts of animals - eagle owls, you can do fish, birds, cats and dogs, horses,
wives and children, all sorts," he said.
Fishy behavior
Mr. Oliver said micro-chipping was often used for
commercial purposes, especially when there was a risk of
theft.
He said: "Some of the Koi carp that people exchange for tens, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds
can be 1m long so they can cope with a little chip."
Theft may be a problem for owners of exotic pets but some animals leave home of their own accord.
Koi carp are often stolen
from ponds
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Page 35
Mr. Oliver said pets, especially cats, went missing for a number of reasons.
"They will jump in the back of vans. They can travel great distances."
Happy endings
Last month a cat which ran away from Nottingham in 2005 was returned to its owner.
Kofi had been taken in by the RSPCA in Suffolk after he was found injured.
His owner, Sarah Hawley, said: "We had given up hope of seeing him again. He seems
happy and we will gradually reintroduce him to his brother Ted once he's settled back in.
"I am so pleased he was micro-chipped as otherwise he really would have been missing
forever."
Another cat, Dixie from Erdington, Birmingham, was found after nine years thanks to
microchip tracking.
Supporters of animal micro-chipping are working hard to raise awareness about its importance. Students from Thorpe House School in Norwich, Norfolk, have joined forces with the
RSPCA and celebrities to promote a petition calling for micro-chipping to be made a legal requirement.
See a snake being micro-chipped at the following site:
Video Extra: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8051608.stm ( snake being chipped )
Story from BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8050033.stm
May 15, 2009
The Herp Marketplace
Exo-terra Breeding Box ( Clear plastic terrarium ) - The
special feeding door at the front of the lid allows access for
feeding and watering, even when the units are stacked. This
makes feeding easy and prevents stress since the unit does
not have to be moved in order to access it. The angled ventilation provides an optimal air-flow at all times, even when the unit
is stacked. Ideal to transport terrarium animals or live foods.
Three sizes:
 PT-2270 - Small - 8" x 8" x 5.5"
 PT-2280 – Large - 16.3" x 10.4" x 5.8"
 PT-2275 – Medium - 11.8" x 7.7" x 5.7"
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/index.php
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/breeding_box.php
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Page 36
The Herp Marketplace
Exo Terra Explorarium: The Exo Terra Explorarium is extremely easy to setup. Simply remove it from the carrying case, undo the
two side buttons, then hang it in your preferred location.
The durable nylon provides optimal ventilation and allows ultraviolet rays from fluorescent UVB lights, or the sun, to penetrate deep inside the enclosure. Besides excellent ventilation, the "open-air" concept
allows beneficial sunrays to reach the animals inside, making the Exo
Terra Explorarium the ideal outdoor basking enclosure for full UVB radiation exposure. Due to the strong nylon mesh and durable construction,
the Explorarium can be used as a permanent outdoor enclosure in warmer climates or as a temporary enclosure during sunny and warmer
days in colder climates.
The included Flextray can be used to hold substrate and/or contain liquids inside the enclosure. An incandescent light fixture can be
easily mounted inside the enclosure. The nylon mesh allows ultraviolet
rays from fluorescent UVB lights to penetrate deep inside the enclosure.
The Explorarium can also be positioned in front of windows, without the
risk of overheating, as is common with glass terrariums.
Three sizes:
 Explorarium 30 - PT-2590 - 12"x 18"
 Explorarium 60 - PT-2594 - 24"x 36"
 Explorarium 45 - PT-2592 - 18"x 24"
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/explorarium.php
The Mushroom Ledge (Item Number: TA-50 ) is designed to complement Naturalistic Terrarium accessories. It creates
an elevated perch from which herps can rest, bask or feed, and includes a silicone adhesive for terrarium-wall attachment. Two sizes
are available.
LIHS Editor NOTE: The only slight inconvenience that I see to this
product, is it must be secured to the habitat wall with a silicone adhesive. This should only be done in a habitat that will not be occupied for 48 – 72 hours after attaching the ledge ( curing time for silicone ).
www.zoomed.com
http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=276&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=3&SearchC
ontext=YTozOntzOjg6IlNlYXJjaElEIjtzOjE6IjMiO3M6MTA6IkRhdGFiYXNlSUQiO3M6MToiMiI7czo4OiJLZXl3b3J
kcyI7czo4OiJNVVNIUk9PTSI7fQ==
www.LIHS.org
Page 37

Volume 19 Issue 3 - Long Island Herpetological Society

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